Olympic champion Qinwen Zheng made history as the first Chinese player to win the China Open on Sunday, stunning French Open winner Mirra Andreeva 7-5 6-4.
Wild card Zheng, who has been on a recovery path after missing nearly six months due to an elbow injury on her dominant right arm, looked like her old self as she used powerful forehands to control the rallies, and landed swift winners angling away from Andreeva.
After the two exchanged early breaks, world No 5 Andreeva held firm to go 5-4 up, and almost got a decisive break when Zheng sent a cross-court shot too long before netting a forehand.
This content is provided by Twitter, which may be using cookies and other technologies.
To show you this content, we need your permission to use cookies.
You can use the buttons below to amend your preferences to enable Twitter cookies or to allow those cookies just once.
You can change your settings at any time via the Privacy Options.
Unfortunately we have been unable to verify if you have consented to Twitter cookies.
To view this content you can use the button below to allow Twitter cookies for this session only.
Enable Cookies
Allow Cookies Once
However, Zheng saved three break points to make it 5-5, and pounced on an error-prone Andreeva in the next game, outwitting the Russian with a swift backhand to get the break that secured the first set.
Andreeva saved three break points as the second set was poised at 4-4, but a persistent Zheng got the break, and landed a perfect ace in the next game to clinch her first WTA 1000 title on home soil.
Image:
2026 French Open champion Mirra Andreeva had no response to Zheng on the day
US Open champion Zverev advances at Shanghai Masters as Shelton beaten
Top-seeded Alexander Zverev let two match points slip in the second-set tiebreaker before winning 6-4 6-7 (6-8) 6-3 against Quentin Halys at the ATP 1000 Shanghai Masters on Sunday.
Zverev never gave up a break-point chance in a third-round match where the US Open champion needed seven of his own just to break the 48th-ranked Frenchman’s service in the opening game.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Highlights of Alexander Zverev against Quentin Halys from the Shanghai Masters
Earlier on Sunday, US Open finalist Ben Shelton was beaten 7-6 (7-5) 7-6 (7-33) by 21-year-old Frenchman Arthur Gea in the third round. The third-seeded Shelton, who won his first match in Shanghai on his 24th birthday, saw Gea convert his first match-point chance in the second-set tiebreaker.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Highlights of Ben Shelton against Arthur Gea from the Shanghai Masters.
Ninth-seeded Alex de Minaur beat Rei Sakamoto 7-6 (8-6) 6-4 and 26th-seeded Karen Khachanov defeated Adrian Mannarino 6-2 6-4.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Highlights of Alex de Minaur against Rei Sakamoto from the Shanghai Masters
No 1-ranked Jannik Sinner withdrew from Shanghai this week when he announced he was taking the rest of 2026 off because of a right knee injury.
Zverev is closing in on finishing the season as world No 1 for the first time and found himself playing an extra set Sunday.
Twice Halys faced match point while serving in the tiebreaker, saved both, then clinched the set with an overhead volley winner at the net. Zverev regained control of the match by breaking Halys’s first service game of the deciding set.
In the round of 16, Zverev will play Alexander Bublik who rallied to beat Brandon Nakashima 6-7 (7-9) 6-3 7-6 (7-5).
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Take a look as an enraged Alexander Bublik destroyed his racket after losing a tie-break against Brandon Nakashima
Stream tennis with no contract on NOW and the Sky Sports App. You can watch the ATP 1000 Shanghai Masters from October 7-18 live on Sky Sports Tennis.